# What was the “pith” in a helmet?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 8, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559 "2019-12-08T17:22:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559/21 "2019-12-12T00:50:26Z")

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My avatar wears a _toque_, but you wouldn’t catch a Canadian wearing one.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559/22 "2019-12-24T06:22:24Z")

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This is a thread of great pith and moment.

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**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559/23 "2019-12-24T15:02:58Z")

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> [@brossa](#):
>
> I have a modern pith helmet, made in Vietnam. It’s cloth covered on both inside and out, and is about 3/8" to 1/2" thick. It’s light and rigid. Because my head is more oval than most, it was digging in at my brow and the back of my head, so I figured that I’d shave some material away in those places and get a look at the inside of the helmet to boot.

I bought a Vietnamese pith helmet last year\* that was “one size fits most” and had the same trouble with my size 7 noggin. It was _way_ too tight fore and aft so I didn’t even consider dissecting it and gave it to a friend on whom it fit just fine.

\*Imported into Germany, thence in some mysterious way to Great Britain where it was offered on Amazon. Shopping is truly getting international.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559/24 "2019-12-24T15:27:05Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> This is a thread of great pith and moment.

And full of pith and vinegar.

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**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-pith-in-a-helmet/844559/25 "2019-12-24T15:51:21Z")

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The original question having been answered, allow me a follow-up : how were pith helmets as, yanno, \*helmets \*? Because to my mind if they’re made of something resembling balsa or styrofoam, that can’t have protected one’s head from very much, can it ?

> [@Colibri](#):
>
> Care in the spelling of headwear is definitely warranted. For example, you should avoid wearing a [baklava](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/Rr6WOwMK9__3QGcPctunFpXAWv4=/2552x1914/smart/filters:no_upscale()/PistachioBaklava-GettyImages-183422455-5997abb09abed50010b57402.jpg)

Don’t kinkshame.

> [@ChefGuy](#):
>
> My avatar wears a toque, but you wouldn’t catch a Canadian wearing one.

Attache ta tuque avec d’la broche !

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